Resources

OCHA: 2016 Humanitarian Needs Overview, December 2015

Afghanistan’s civilian population continues to bear the brunt of a conflict growing in intensity and geographic scope. OCHA's annual report on likely humanitarian needs paints a grim picture for 2016, in which an already vulnerable population is exposed to greater risks of violence, are increasingly forced to flee their homes and livelihoods, and face high levels of malnutrition in a country where more than 70% of the population live in chronic poverty.

UNAMA: Special Report on Kunduz Province, December 2015

In addition to their twice-yearly Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict reports, UNAMA published this special report on the civilian casualties and human rights violations resulting from the Taliban siege and occupation of Kunduz city in October/November 2015. The report documents civilian deaths and injuries during the reporting period and presents preliminary findings on arbitrary killings, abductions, assault and other forms of violence, including threats and widespread criminality, the use of child fighters during the conflict, the impact on access to education, health, and freedom of movement. It provides a preliminary figure of 848 civilian casualties (289 deaths and 559 injured) that occurred in Kunduz province between 28 September and 13 October. These figures include 67 casualties (30 deaths and 37 injured) resulting from an airstrike carried out by international military forces on a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital on 3 October, an event that is also examined in the report. [MSF reported later in December that the death toll had risen to 42]

UNHCR: Mid Year Trends 2015, December 2015

With almost a million people having crossed the Mediterranean as refugees and migrants so far in 2015, and conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere continuing to generate staggering levels of human suffering, 2015 is likely to exceed all previous records for global forced displacement, UNHCR warn this report. Covering the period from January to end June, the report looks at worldwide displacement resulting from conflict and persecution. The global refugee total, which a year ago was 19.5 million, had as of mid-2015 passed the 20 million threshold (20.2 million) for the first time since 1992. Asylum applications were meanwhile up 78 per cent (993,600) over the same period in 2014. And the numbers of internally displaced people jumped by around 2 million to an estimated 34 million.

The report states that the proportion of casualties caused by victim activated improvised explosive devices increased significantly (to 31%, up from 22% in 2013), with the casualties in Afghanistan accounting for the majority of the increase. Afghanistan experienced the greatest single rise in casualties, with 1,296 recorded in 2014 compared to 1,050 in 2013. The bulk of the increase was due to victim-activated improvised explosive devices, with 809 recorded in 2014 compared to 567 in 2013. There were 561 child casualties in Afghanistan in 2014, representing nearly half (46%) of all civilian casualties in that country where the age was known. Support to mine action activities in Afghanistan dropped considerably, from $67.5 million in 2013 to $49.3 million in 2014.

FSAC: Seasonal Food Security Assessment, September 2015

The 2015 Seasonal Food Security Assessment in Afghanistan, published by the country’s Food Security and Agriculture Cluster (FSAC), found that at the peak of the lean season the number of Afghans facing severe food insecurity increased from 4.7 percent of the population 12 months ago to 5.9 percent today. This means more than 1.5 million people are now considered severely food insecure, an increase of more than 317,000. Another 7.3 million people – more than one in every four Afghans - are classed as moderately food insecure.Of greatest concern is the finding that the proportion of severely food insecure people who have already exhausted their capacity to cope with these emergencies has increased – meaning many more are now forced to sell land, take children out of school to work, or depend on relatives for support. This will leave even more Afghan people signficantly vulnerable to extreme poverty.

Bond: State of the World's Emergencies, August 2015

The Bond Humanitarian and Conflict Policy groups have produced a briefing for new members of parliament, designed to give an overview of some of the world’s most fragile situations and highlight actions which key influencers can take to ensure the UK government most effectively delivers on its moral and political responsibilities.The basic humanitarian needs of people affected by conflict and natural disasters around the world are increasing. More and more people urgently require food, water, shelter and other assistance to survive, and new and ongoing conflicts force ever greater numbers of people from their homes.The State of the World’s Emergencies draws on the expertise of individuals and organisations who are either actively operational in the contexts cited, or working to raise awareness in the UK of the challenges faced by people experiencing humanitarian disasters, conflict and upheaval. BAAG authored the Afghanistan chapter. The report was sent to new MPs in July, and in the build-up to World Humanitarian Day on 19 August, Bond and a number of partners will be raising awareness of the state of the world’s emergencies.

OCHA: Humanitarian Response Plan Mid Year Review, August 2015

OCHA - the UN's Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs - review the humanitarian situation against their 2015 plan, highlighting increased conflict-related casualties and displacements (both of Afghans and Pakistani refugees escaping prolonged military operations in North Waziristan). In 2015 so far, 103,000 people have been displaced and 107,000 affected by natural disasters. Yet response levels vary, with many far below their targets (WASH activities have reached only 23% of their target 1.9 million people). Only 38% of the funding required for all response activities has so far been received.

OCHA: Humanitarian Bulletin, July 2015

This report focusses on the needs of IDPs and returnees, since numbers of returnees into eastern Afghanistan for the first 6 months of 2015 already exceeds the total number recorded in 2014. The unprecedented rate of return is overwhelming the capacity of humanitarian actors to assist returning populations. The bulletin also highlights an upcoming Samuel Hall study which finds that returnees are comparatively less vulnerable compared to internally displaced persons.

Humanitarian Outcomes: Aid Worker Security Report 2015, July 2015

Humanitarian Outcomes, an independent team of professionals providing research and policy advice, publish their 2015 report on security incidents against aid workers. This is based on the data captured in their Aid Worker Security Database, which can be viewed via https://aidworkersecurity.org/Once again, Afghanistan was the most dangerous place for aid workers in 2014, with 54 major attacks on aid workers.

IDMC: Global Estimates People displaced by disasters 2015, July 2015

The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre, along with the Norwegian Refugee Council, present their annual report. This one points to the man-made factors that drive an overall increasing trend in disaster displacement, like rapid economic development, urbanisation and population growth in hazard prone areas, arguing that these drivers are increasing the number of people becoming displaced, and the risk that their displacement becomes a long-term problem. The report includes a spotlight on Afghanistan, highlighting the multiple hazards in conflict-affected and fragile states.

IDMC: New and long-term IDPs risk becoming neglected as conflict intensifies, July 2015

IDMC estimates that as of the end of June 2015, six months after the withdrawal of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), at least 948,000 people were living in displacement as a result of conflict and violence. The figure includes around 103,000 people newly displaced in the first six months of 2015.IDPs struggle to meet specific needs resulting from their displacement, in particular when it comes to accessing water, food, adequate housing and employment. These challenges are most pronounced in areas where they are inaccessible or invisible to humanitarian responders and as their displacement becomes more protracted.

BAAG: Policy position paper on Humanitarian Aid, July 2015

Following the General Election in May 2015, BAAG and its members prepared a briefing pack for MPs and ministers. These covered the themes of Governance, Human Rights, Service Delivery, Women's Rights and Humanitarian. They each present an overview of the progress and remaining challenges in each area, and priority recommendations for the British government to consider in its support to Afghanistan.

Samuel Hall: Agency & Choice among the Displaced, July 2015

Samuel Hall's research explores issues in the decision-making processes for IDPs and returnees in both urban and rural areas and comments on the livelihood situation of both groups. It notes that incentives for refugees to return to Afghanistan appear to be diminishing and are now largely driven by a combination of push factors and emotional rather than material considerations. Urbanisation is also considered, with findings showing that urban areas are seen to offer greater employment opportunities, security and public services, while those living in rural areas are likely to have been attracted by ethnic ties, the presence of friends, relatives, and cheaper accommodation. A set of recommendations for organisations working with the target communities follows, along with the need for concrete steps in the near future.

OCHA: Major conflict-induced displacements, June 2015

The start of the traditional spring fighting season has caused significant population movements in the Northern and Western regions, specifically in Badakhshan, Bagdhis and Kunduz provinces. Smaller scale conflict displacement has also been recorded in Baghlan, Farah, Faryab, Ghor, Herat, Jawzjan and Sar-e-pul Provinces.